


You Have My Heart

by ImOutOfMyVulcanMind (LoopyLu94)



Series: Tumblr Celebration Stories [10]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Heartbreak, M/M, Mentions of Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-06 02:31:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13401561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoopyLu94/pseuds/ImOutOfMyVulcanMind
Summary: Éomer and Reader have had a secret relationship for many years, but will it survive the War of the Ring?





	1. Chapter 1

_Have you heard?” **  
**_

_“What is it?”_

_“The King has banished Lord Éomer. There is rumor that it is under pain of death.”_

You were just finishing scrubbing some dishes clean when you heard the hushed whispers from the other servants. Your stomach lurched, and it was only by some luck that you didn’t drop the bowl you were holding. You closed your eyes, inhaling deeply to try and steady yourself. If you were seen to panic too much, it would raise suspicion, and you refused to let Éomer down like that.

Carefully, slowly, you set the bowl down, waiting until the others were distracted before slipping out of the side door. Forcing yourself to maintain a steady pace, you walked down the steps of Meduseld, keeping your head down, and hoping no one would question you. None of the guards seemed to care however, the weight of the grief you all felt settling over the entire city more than ever.

Your heart hammered in your chest as you reached the stable, yet swiftly plummeted to the ground when you looked inside. Éomer had his back to you, yet you could tell he was readying his horse for departure. His shoulders were slumped, and while usually Éomer took great pleasure in readying Firefoot for a journey, now it appeared as though every movement was a struggle.

“It is true then,” you whispered, breaking the spell of silence that fallen. “You are leaving.”

Éomer turned towards you, his face more grim that you had ever seen it. “Y/N…you should not be here.”

“Then you should not have tried to leave without a word,” you answered, stepping fully into the stable, and out of the line of sight of most of the other folk.

“I thought it best. A painful farewell would only serve to make leaving harder.”

You nodded, looking down to the stable floor. “Why is the King doing this? You have done nothing.”

“This is not the King’s doing, but Grimas. He has twisted the mind of my Uncle, influencing him to do his bidding,” Éomer sighed as he took a step closer to you.

You nodded once more. You knew it to be true, but hearing Éomer say it aloud did nothing to alleviate your fear, in fact only serving to increase it tenfold.  _“Please…do not leave me here. Do not leave me alone, without you.”_  It was a pointless plead, you knew that also, but it did not stop you from making it out of terror of being left in Edoras without Éomer.

“Y/N, I would take you with me if I could, but I need you here. With me gone, Eowyn will be on her own. I need the two of you to look after each other. Can you do that?” Éomer asked gently, finally coming close enough to run his fingers through your hair.

“I will do my best, my lord,” you replied, your voice cracking far more than you ever would have liked.

“All our lives we have known each other, and not once have you ever called me your lord in private.” Éomer moved to try and tilt your head back up, to finally make you look at him again, but you jerked your head away, keeping your eyes squeezed tightly shut. Tears burned at them, and you did not want  Éomer to see. “Y/N?”

“I do not want you to think me weak,” you said quietly.

“You will never be weak to my eyes, my darling.” Éomer spoke softly, using both his hands to cup your face, this time leaving you no choice other than to look up at him. You opened your eyes, feeling a tear betray you by rolling down your cheek as soon as you did. Éomer smiled, “Never.”

You returned the smile, using the moment to lean into Éomer’s touch. “Take this with you. For luck.” You reached behind you, unclasping the gold chain that sat around your neck, and pressing it into  Éomer’s hand.

Éomer looked down at the necklace, then back at you. “Your Mother’s locket. Y/N…”

“Keep it, please. At least then I will be with you in a way.”

Éomer nodded, clasping the chain behind his own neck. “I will keep it close to me always, and I will return it when I return myself.”

“I know,” you smiled again, brushing away another tear before it even had the chance to fall. You were about to turn to leave, to make your exit before the goodbye became any harder, but Éomer grabbed your arm and pulled you in for a kiss.

Éomer’s lips were chapped against your own, but it didn’t lessen the pleasure you took from it. You closed your eyes as you leaned into Éomer, wrapping your arms around his shoulders tightly, while his own moved to hold your waist. It was passionate, but you both felt the desperation that lay beneath it. The not knowing of when you would be able to kiss like this again, or if you would kiss again at all. The thought led you to tangle a hand in Éomer’s hair, holding him as close to you as you possibly could.

It was Éomer who finally found the strength to end the kiss, his breathing as ragged as your own as he looked down at you. “You must leave now, Y/N. If Grima begins to suspect that there is something between us…I do not want to think of what he may do.”

“I…” Éomer was right once again, you’d already risked too much, but you found that now you had to, you could not release your grip on him. “Éomer, I…”

“You must, my love, you must.” Éomer took your wrists in his hands, and gently prised you off of him. “I will come home.”

Your eyes searched Éomer’s own, and while it pained you to see your heartache reflected back, you tried to take some small comfort in knowing that Éomer felt his leaving as deeply as you did. “I love you, Éomer,” you whispered, using the last of your remaining courage to break free of his hold. You could find no more words to say, so you turned, quickly, and left the stables, refusing to look back lest your limbs fail you.

You climbed back up the steps of Meduseld, Éowyn coming out just as you reached the top. She gave you a knowing look, but said nothing. Near the gates, there was a shout, and the whinnies of many horses.

You turned to look out over Edoras, watching as Éomer led his men out at a gallop, and slowly disappear over the horizon.

~

In the following days, not one passed where you did not think of Éomer. Yet you were distracted when strangers came, like a breath of fresh air entering a dusty room, and the veil that had been shrouding the King and the City was lifted.

You heard rumor that a few of the strangers had encountered Éomer and his men, but you spoke to none of them about it. They were great lords, and you had no place discussing Éomer with them. There were other things the lords needed to speak of also. You were not privy to much of those matters, only the brief words Éowyn told you.

Then the orders came. The whole of Edoras was to uproot and relocate to Helm’s Deep. There were whispers of a great host approaching from Isengard, intent on destroying all Rohan, but you tried not to heed them too much. You were almost certain they were true, but to fall into despair would not help anyone. So you busied yourself, aiding the other servants to gather whatever you could, along with helping those who had no one else to do so.

The road was long, and dangerous, and when you finally arrived, you breathed a sigh of relief. There was no relaxing however. As soon as you arrived, you got to work helping set everything into order. It was tiring and stressful, and the stab of fear in the pit of your stomach only grew with each passing second.

As the night drew in, the feeling of dread and hopelessness did also, and you found yourself wishing for Éomer more than ever before. You had always felt safe knowing that Éomer was out there, protecting you, but now he was not. He was gone, and there was hushed talk that Saruman’s army was so great that none would live to see the dawn. You leaned against the wall of the cave you had been sent to heavily, closing your eyes as you attempted to keep strong. You would see Éomer again. You had to.

The battle passed in a haze. There was no way of learning what was going on above you, no way of knowing who was winning. All you could hear was muffled shouts and clashes of swords, and all you could do was hold onto each other tightly when the whole cave shook around you.

You were beginning to feel that the battle would last forever, when a guard appeared at the entrance of the cave, claiming victory against the forces of Isengard.

The new sun was bright in the sky as you made your way out of the caves, highlighting the carnage that surrounded you. Bodies of men, elves and orcs were strewn all across the keep and battlefield, the injured lay slumped against what remained of the wall, and those who were able were trying to restore order.

It was the talk that caught your attention however. The soldiers spoke of being close to defeat, that the King had ridden out in one last stand, but they were brought to victory at the last moment by Éomer returning and taking the enemy by surprise. It seemed true, but you dared not get your hopes up. The mere thought of seeing Éomer again had your heart beating faster, but you did not yet know if he had survived the battle.

It wasn’t until you were bringing water to the injured did you see him. Éomer had his back to you once more as he spoke with one of the injured men, words of comfort by the look on the man’s face, but he was there. Alive. And seemingly uninjured. You wanted to run to him, to wrap your arms around him and kiss him. You held yourself back however. You could not kiss the future King in front of everyone, and even if you were able,  Éomer was no doubt too busy for you.

You turned away from Éomer and returned to your task, trying to ignore the longing in your heart.

“Y/N…”

You span around as soon as you heard  Éomer speak, coming face to face with him. He must have crept up behind you because now he was so close to you, you could feel the heat from his body.

You opened and closed your mouth multiple times before you could find your voice. “My lord, Éomer. I am pleased to see you unharmed,” you whispered, your voice far too unsteady for your liking.

Éomer smiled at you, looking at you with more love and longing than you had ever seen him. Slowly, he reached out and took the flask of water you were clutching, and placed it to one side. “I missed you. Too much to hide anymore.”

You wanted to reply, but Éomer did not give you the chance. He closed the last of the distance between you, one arm wrapping around your waist to hold you to him, and kissed you. Every thought and worry in your mind fled as soon as you felt his lips against yours, your first instinct to wrap your own arms around his shoulders. Éomer took the movement as a sign to deepen the kiss, his free hand coming to support the back of your neck.

“Éomer!”

Éomer pulled away from you at the sound of his Uncle, but kept his hand on your waist. “My King, I was going to speak to you-”

“Enough, Éomer!” The King stormed towards you both, drawing far more attention than you and Éomer previously had. “You are to be King! You cannot be seen fraternising with servants in public!”

“Uncle, it is more than that, Y/N and I, we l-”

“I do not want to hear anymore. Whatever this is, it will end now.”

“Uncle-”

“That is an order, Éomer. You will end it, right this moment. You are not to see each other any longer.”


	2. Chapter 2

“That is an order, Éomer. You will end it, right this moment. You are not to see each other any longer.” **  
**

You watched as the King turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving you and Éomer standing together in a room full of injured soldiers who were trying not to watch. You wanted to speak, yet you found no words to say. You could not even look at Éomer. It made no sense for your heart to ache so much over the King’s words, you knew. You could never have hoped for him to approve of yours and Éomer’s courtship, you were not of a station to wed a future King. Yet still your heart ached, and tears burned at your eyes as you fought to hold them back.

“Y/N,” Éomer whispered as he attempted to raise your head, but you pulled it away, keeping your gaze firmly cast down. “My love, look at me, please.” It took all of your strength, but you somehow found the courage to raise your eyes to meet Éomer’s. There were no tears in Éomer’s eyes, though you found the pain that you were feeling. “Do not despair yet. I will speak with my Uncle, he will see reason soon.” Éomer took your hands in his as he spoke, caressing your knuckles with his thumbs.  _“I am not going to let you go, not without a fight.”_

You nodded slowly, and forced yourself to smile, “I know.” It pained you, but once you spoke you pulled free of Éomer’s grasp. “I must go. I have duties to attend to.” You turned and walked away before Éomer could say anymore, though you felt his eyes on you until you were out of sight.

It was only when you were truly alone did you let the tears slide down your cheeks freely.

~

You did not see Éomer at all over the following days; he was too busy aiding the King along with other duties. And you had your own. You helped tend the wounded, then when the King declared it safe, proceeded to make your way back to Edoras. It should have been a joyful moment, returning home, yet the emptiness that had settled in your heart did not lesson at the sight of your city.

A feast was held within Meduseld. To honor the dead, and celebrate the living and the defeat of Isengard. It was only then did you see Éomer again. You yearned to speak with him and touch him, and have him touch you in return, but you did not dare. You had received no word that the King had changed his mind about your relationship, so you could not risk the wrath that might come if you were caught. The risk however, did not seem to trouble Éomer, as when the festivities were in full swing he came up to you whilst you were clearing a table.

“Y/N, how do you fare?” He asked you quietly, standing close enough that you could feel his body heat.

“I am well, my lord. It is good to be home,” you answered in response, keeping your attention on the empty steins were removing.

The pause lay heavy between you as Éomer spoke no further yet remained by your side. Eventually, he reached out to touch your arm gently, “I need to speak with you outside. Meet me there when you are done,” he whispered, waiting for your silent nod before leaving. There was no need to meet, you already knew by the tone of his voice what Éomer had to say. You did not wish to hear the words themselves, but perhaps a final farewell would ease both your hearts.

You took some minutes more than was necessary to take the dirty dishes to be washed, partly because you wished to delay the inevitable, and partly so you had time to compose yourself. If this was to be it, you did not wish to spend your time with Éomer weeping. There came a time when you found the courage in your heart to exit Meduseld however, and stepped out into the night air. You’d always founds the night in Edoras to be peaceful, but tonight the silence was filled with dread.

You found Éomer quickly enough, leaning heavily against the wooden rail. He straightened when he heard you approach, and turned to face you. He must have sensed that you were aware of why he’d requested you meet because his expression turned from one of controlled neutrality to one of extreme sorrow in a heartbeat. “Y/N…” Éomer reached out to you and clasped your hands tightly in his. You watched as he took a deep breath before speaking further. “I have spoken to my Uncle, more than once, but he will not…he will not change his decision about us.”

There was a crack in Éomer’s voice that you wished you had not heard, and it took all of your effort not to fling yourself into his arms and hold onto him forever. Instead, you attempted to school yourself and nod. “I understand. The King is right.”

“No, he is not. It should not be his right to choose who I wed.”

“But it is.”

Éomer nodded, “It is. And I cannot go against my King’s order.” You felt the first of your tears break free and fall, cold against your skin in the night air. Éomer raised his hand to brush them away tenderly. “I will speak with him more, Y/N, I have not given up yet. Perhaps when the war is done his mind will change. I just thought it best to tell you his thoughts now.”

“It was.” At least you knew now not to hope. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Y/N…” Éomer moved to wrap his arms around you, but you stepped back, turning away from him. If he embraced you now you would never let him go. “This is yours. I promised to return it to you.” From the corner of your eye you watched as Éomer reached to unclasp a chain from around his neck. The locket you had given him before his banishment. Carefully, Éomer set it down on the wood near you. “I am sorry.”

You listened as Éomer’s footsteps faded away. Only once had they disappeared altogether did you gasp a shuddering, choked sob. You clung to the rail, head dropped between your shoulders as you fought to keep some control. Here wasn’t the place. Now wasn’t the time. You had to return to the hall, and see the night through. You could weep into your pillow later.

“Not all tears are evil ones that should be held back.”

You straightened immediately as soon as you heard the King’s voice, but kept your head bowed. “There are no tears to free, my lord.”

Theoden chuckled quietly as he came to a stop next to you, turning to look out over Edoras. “I do not make this decision out of malice, child. If Éomer were not to be King after me then perhaps I could have accepted it. But he will be, and he needs a Queen worthy of the title.”

“I understand, my liege. It was foolish of us…of me to ever expect a different outcome. My lord Éomer deserves only the finest Queen.”

The King said nothing, yet continued to stand by your side as you gazed out at the city lights beneath you. “This is yours?” He asked after a few minutes, picking up the locket that still sat on the wood, and examining it closely.

“Yes. It was my mother’s, my lord,” you answered, watching him from the corner of your eye.

“It must be priceless to you, yet I saw my nephew wear it after the battle.”

You licked your lips as you hesitated for a moment, “I presented it to Lord Éomer before he departed Edoras as a token of how much I…of how much the people cared for him. It was the only object I had that was fitting.”

“A thoughtful gift. It must have brought Éomer great comfort in the long nights,” Theoden mused.

“That was my wish, sire.”

“You must hold great affection for him to risk the loss of an object so precious.”

“I…” You trailed off, unsure of how to respond. Lying felt wrong, but the truth would be painful. “I do. But that affection will fade.” A truth and a lie.

The King merely hummed thoughtfully, then set the locket back down. “Return to your home and rest. You have done enough for tonight.”

“Yes, my lord,” You replied, picking up the locket. You bowed before Theoden, then turned and left Meduseld, and the man you loved behind.


	3. Chapter 3

A few days passed and you were unsure if you saw nothing of Éomer because he was doing well avoiding you, or if you were doing well avoiding him. It did not ease your pain to not see him, but it did not hurt you more either. **  
**

Then the news came. Gondor had lit its beacons and had called for aid. Rohan was going to answer. You were picked as one of the few servants to accompany the men to the camp. You did not know why; there were plenty of others who could have gone in your stead, though many told you that they did not envy you. There was talk that the army of Sauron was so great that there was no hope of the men returning, and many said they would be unable to bear the grief that would come with sending them off forever. You refused to let yourself succumb to such thoughts.

The journey to the camp was not a long one, but it felt like it. Dread hung over you all, bearing down upon your shoulders. You heard a rumour that the King was disappointed with the size of the armies from the other cities. They were less than he hoped. Tents and pavilions were set up, and you were tasked with bringing food to the men.

You had brought stew to many of the soldiers but were stopped in your tracks when you neared the next campfire. Éomer. Lines of worry creased his brow as he stared into the crackling flames, lost in his thoughts. You took a breath and walked closer. “Food, my lord?”

Éomer’s head snapped up to look at you, his eyes wide with longing. He reigned himself in quickly and shook his head. “No. Thank you.”

“You should eat, my lord. You will need your strength on the battlefield.”

Éomer looked at you thoughtfully, a small, sad smile on his lips. “I will have some then. For you.”

You nodded, scooping some into a bowl and passing it to Éomer. His fingers brushed against yours, hovering just a few moments more than they should’ve as he took the bowl. “You will be in my thoughts, my lord,” you whispered, drawing your hand back.

“And you in mine.”

You returned Éomer’s smile, then left his side, refusing to give into the temptation to look back at him.

You believed you were done with your duties when word came. The King had summoned you. Confusion mixed with anxiety in your stomach as you made your way up to the King’s pavilion. He was standing outside already, hands clasped behind his back as he looked out at the lights below. “You asked to see me, sire?” You asked softly as you approached.

Theoden turned to look at you thoughtfully. He gestured towards the encampment. “What do you see?”

You frowned in confusion but turned to look anyway. “I see men, brave men, prepared to go and fight for the land they love and save us from the darkness.”

“Many would say that they are doomed to die. That they go to fight a hopeless cause.”

You shook your head, “There is always hope. I will not give up that hope until Edoras burns around me and Sauron’s shadow is cast over us all.” You looked back at the King to find him smiling gently at you. “My lord?”

“It is true what they say about you.”

“Forgive me, sire, I do not understand.”

“I have asked, and I have heard the tales about you. You have a way about you that allows you to lift spirits, and rekindle hope in the hearts of the hopeless.”

“I do no different than any other,” you blushed under the praise. “To try and remain positive in the darkest of hours is the least I can do.”

“Yet so many others do not. They quake and fall into despair, and that is understandable. It depends on leaders to reignite courage.”

“I am no leader, my lord. I am not…I am not anything.”

Theoden smiled again and placed a hand on your shoulder. “Not yet, but soon.”

You found yourself frowning again as you tried to understand the King’s meaning, but just as you opened your mouth to ask what he meant, Éomer rounded the corner.

“You wished to speak with me, Unc-” Éomer stopped in his tracks when his eyes landed on you, the confusion clear.

The King motioned Éomer closer and positioned himself between you both. “I was rash in my decision of ordering you two apart, I see that now. Y/N, your bloodline may not be royal, but you are braver than many a lord of Rohan, and I believe that Rohan would be better off having you as her Queen.”

You were left speechless by Theoden’s declaration, somehow managing to tear your eyes away from him and over to Éomer. It was plain to see that he was struggling to understand too. “Uncle?”

“The love you share is not a love that comes every lifetime. There are many who will grow old and die without knowing it. I was wrong to try and end it.” Theoden took hold of one your hands and did the same with Éomer. “That is why I now give you both my blessing and if you wish it, it is in my power to marry you now.”

Éomer was watching you. He was waiting for you to choose you realised. For the first time in days, you smiled a truly genuine smile. “Yes. I wish it, my lord.”

“You are sure? There will be those who doubt you, Y/N. The people of Edoras love you, and Eowyn gives her full support, but there will always be some Lords who question this,” Theoden said. He was not trying to dissuade you, you could hear it in his voice, merely telling you. You already understood that there would be judgement however, and it was something you accepted.

You took a breath and squared your shoulders. “I am sure, my lord.”

The corners of Theoden’s eyes crinkled up as he smiled. “I am pleased to hear it,” he murmured, pressing yours and Éomer’s hands together. “This is not the ceremony you deserve. When we return, there’ll be a celebration, one worthy of the future rulers of Rohan, but for now, under our laws, I pronounce you married.”

Theoden released you both, and immediately Éomer pulled you into his arms and kissed you. You wrapped your arms around his neck, tangling your fingers in his hair, and kissed back with as much fervour as he kissed you. By the time Éomer released you, you were both breathless, but beaming happily.

“We depart at dawn, so go now, and make the most of this night together. The memories will see you both through the next few weeks,” Theoden said.

Éomer nodded and took your hand in his. “Thank you, Uncle.” Éomer led you back to his tent, kissing you once more as the both of you tumbled inside, reluctant to leave the other go for too many moments. Carefully, Éomer lay you down on his bedroll and hovered above you. “I have waited a long time for this,” he said quietly, brushing some hair from your face.

You smiled up at Éomer, “As have I,” you told him, reaching up to draw him closer to you.

~

Movement to your left roused you from your sleep, and you opened your eyes to see Éomer moving about carefully in the candlelight, putting on his armour. “You were going to leave without saying goodbye?” You asked quietly, sitting up in the bed.

Éomer turned to face you, a sad smile on his lips as his blade caught the light. “I thought it would be easier.”

You sighed, wrapping a blanket around your body as you rose and walked over to him, “When will you learn that there is no easy way to do this?”

“I know there is not, my love. But I will find whatever way I can to stop you from hurting.”

“There is only one way for you to do that. Go, and fight valiantly, and then return home to me. Alive and in one piece. I will be waiting.”

Éomer nodded, cupping your cheek in his palm. “You are wiser than you have any right being. You are going to outsmart the Lords left behind.”

“I will try my best.”

Éomer laughed and kissed you, his armour feeling hard against your body. He let his forehead rest against yours as the laughter died away. “I have to go.”

You did not want him to, but you knew you had to let him go. Your heart broke, and you were terrified, but the feeling was different than it was when he was banished. This was not a punishment inflicted by a worm to leave you weaker. Éomer was leaving to fight and save you. It was that thought that allowed you to summon the courage to pull back with one final kiss. “Go and be safe. I will wait for news.”

You watched Éomer steel himself as he grabbed his helmet. “I will be home soon,” he said with a bow, and then he was gone, leaving you standing alone.

“I love you,” you whispered behind him, letting the tears you’d held back slip down your cheeks.

~

The soldiers left, and those of you that remained cleared the encampment. Eowyn had been meant to help you, but she had disappeared. Gone to aid the King you suspected. A part of you wished you had done the same, but you were no warrior. You knew in your heart Edoras was where you were meant to be. And so, you led the people back there. It was surprising, how well everyone took to you being in charge. Word had been left that they should follow you, however, you had still expected some challenge. Yet there was none. The people looked to you and did as you said.

Days passed by, and you did what you could to keep spirits up. New banners were raised high, the gold in them shining in the sun. And you ordered communal meals so that no individual would be left alone. It felt like next to nothing, though it seemed to work in some small ways, and for that, you were grateful.

No news came, but Sauron’s armies did not march on your lands, so the battle in Gondor must have gone in your favour. That eased your heart, but you still longed for news of Éomer. Then a new day dawned, and even though you had not heard anything, you all knew. The darkness had been lifted, and in your hearts, all of Edoras knew that Sauron had been defeated. There were many celebrations, and though you participated, you could not do much. You still longed and wished for more knowledge. Just some brief word that Éomer was well.

A messenger arrived a week after the new dawn, bearing the news and confirmation that Sauron had been defeated. The words were joyous to hear, but the ones that came after hurt. Theoden was dead. Even though you had barely spoken, the words grieved you. Then you were told of Éomer. He lived and was well. The messenger said that once the true King of Gondor had been crowned, Éomer would return to Edoras and take the throne. It was a relief and the weight that been bearing down on your shoulders was lifted. You could barely wait to see him again.

The following weeks were spent in preparation. You wanted the men’s arrival home to be as glorious as their victory. It was the least they deserved. You were excited, barely able to eat or sleep, longing for the moment you saw their banners appear on the horizon.

It was early in the morning when it happened. Guards shouted and you ran to the door of Meduseld, and there, galloping ever closer were the Rohirrim. You remained where you were, watching them approach. Then suddenly they were in the city, and cheers chorused from every home as loved ones were reunited. You watched on, looking intently for the glimpse of Éomer’s armour. You caught it and your legs nearly gave out from under you. It was chaos around him, but eventually, he turned and your eyes met. Éomer smiled. You returned it.

Éomer made his way over to you, forgetting everyone else for the moment as he removed his helmet. “Y/N…”

“My King,” you bowed your head respectfully. “Welcome home.”

Éomer moved to hug you, but he was interrupted. He sighed, and took your hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Tonight, my love.”

You nodded. “Tonight.” You had been expecting that upon his arrival, everyone would want a piece of Éomer, and you held no grudge for it. It was you who would be sleeping in bed with him that night. The very thought made your heart flutter.

A feast was held in celebration and remembrance within Meduseld. Food and ale flowed, yet still, you and Éomer barely had the time to say more than a few words to one another. Yet the moments you had were filled with gentle touches and longing looks. Knowing that Éomer craved time with you as much as you did he, helped you through the night.

It was late when the feast came to end, even later by the time you saw it cleared away. Éomer had disappeared, but you were sure you knew where to find him. True enough, as soon as you opened the door to the royal chambers, you spied Éomer sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless in the candlelight. He was exhausted, weariness etched into every stretch of skin.

“Éomer.” You spoke softly as you approached, Éomer only looking up at you once you were standing in front of him.

“Y/N…” Without warning, Éomer reached out and tugged you down into his lap, holding you close to him. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” you whispered, holding onto Éomer and tucking his head under your chin when he placed it there. “Missed you so much. I worried every day.”

“I wish I could have told you more sooner, but there was no time.”

“I know. I understand. You are home now, and nothing else matters.”

Éomer held you a little tighter, a little closer, and the two of you stayed in silence for long minutes, simply basking in each other’s presence. “I am sorry about your Uncle,” you said quietly after some time.

“He died in battle, bringing honour and safety to Rohan. It is how he would have wanted it.” You had overheard Éomer say the same thing many times throughout the evening, but now, here, you also heard the tremble in his voice.

Pulling back, you raised Éomer’s face so his eyes met yours. “I am still sorry. I know how you loved him.”

Éomer nodded slowly, tracing gentle patterns into your hips with his fingers. “My Uncle…and then Eowyn…she was hurt and I believed I had lost her too. What kept me fighting was you. Knowing that you, your safety, depended on us winning,” Éomer murmured. “I love you.”

“I love you.  _We_  love you.”

Éomer looked at you confused, “We?”

You smiled, standing again so you could place Éomer’s hand on your stomach. “We.”

Éomer stared at you, looking between your face and your hand. “You are sure?”

“I am sure. Healer confirmed it the day before yesterday.”

Éomer swallowed, and you caught the shine of tears in his eyes, as he gently pushed your hand away and pressed a kiss to your stomach. “Then everything was worth it. The fear, the pain, it was all worth it. For you. Both of you.” Éomer kept you close, resting his forehead on your dress while you ran your fingers through his hair.

You heard Éomer whispering quietly to your stomach, only some you could actually make out. It did not matter. He could have his quiet secrets with your child. It was what you wanted. All that you wanted. You had your husband back, the man you loved more than anything. And within a few months, you would have a child with him.

Éomer eventually pulled himself away and stood. Arms still wrapped around you securely, he kissed you. “Let us go to bed.”

You smiled. Everything was perfect.


End file.
